Aug 27, 2012

Forger Ken Perenyi on NPR

A genuine fake painting by Ken Perenyi

Ken Perenyi, the author of a new book detailing his 30-year career as an art forger does not exactly seem to have reformed. If you are going to forge, don't forge Picasso, and the experts practically fool themselves.

Perenyi made millions of dollars over 30 years with more than 1,000 forgeries, allowing him to jet set around the world. His highest earning work was a Martin Johnson Heade forgery that sold for more than $700,000.
Perenyi tells the story of how he got away with it in his new book, Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger.
So does he hold on to guilt about duping individuals, museums and galleries who paid top dollar for his work?
"No. Not at all," Perenyi tells Laura Sullivan, guest host of weekends on All Things Considered. "I take pride in my work, and I think it speaks for itself. I would find it difficult to feel bad about creating beautiful paintings."